Reconfigurable 23-Tbit/s DQPSK simultaneous add/drop, data exchange and equalization using double-pass LCoS and bidirectional HNLF

Abstract

We propose a reconfigurable Tbit/s network switching element using double-pass liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology accompanied by bidirectional degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) in a single highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF). We demonstrate the LCoS + HNLF-based 2.3-Tbit/s multi-functional grooming switch which performs simultaneous selective add/drop, switchable data exchange, and power equalization, for 23-channel 100-Gbit/s return-to-zero differential quadrature phase-shift keying (RZ-DQPSK) signals. Less than 1.5-dB power penalty is observed for power equalization at a bit-error rate (BER) of 10⁻⁹. Selective single-/two-channel add/drop are achieved with power penalties less than 1.2 dB. Switchable two-channel data exchange and simultaneous six-channel data exchange are implemented with power penalties less than 5 dB.